Mockernut Hickory

Biological Name:

Mockernut-Hickory – Carya tomentosa

Natural Habitat:

The natural habitat of Mockernut-Hickory is likely forests and wooded areas, in temperate regions.

Description:

Mockernut-hickory is a type of tree that is commonly found in fields and other grassy areas. It is a member of the Juglandaceae family which also includes plants such as walnuts and pecans. Mockernut-hickory is an annual or perennial plant that produces small green or brown flowers and clusters of seeds. The plant is often used as a cover crop to improve soil health and suppress weeds. It is also known for its ability to tolerate a wide range of growing conditions including wet or dry soils. In some areas mockernut-hickory is considered a weed because of its ability to invade cultivated areas and cause allergies and other health problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can you eat nuts from mockernut hickory?
A: Though mockernut kernels are edible, because of their size they are rarely eaten by humans. True hickories provide a very large portion of the high-grade hickory used by industry. Mockernut is used for lumber, pulpwood, charcoal, and other fuel wood products. The wood makes an excellent fuel wood, as well.
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Q: Will deer eat hickory?
A: 1 | Hickory Tree This tree is often overlooked in the world of deer hunting. It certainly has its place, though. Deer like them. While hickory nuts aren’t attractive to deer — deer will consume this tree’s browse (buds, stems, etc.).
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Q: Do squirrels like hickory nuts?
A: Squirrels obviously love hickory nuts – I’ve been watching squirrels carry hickory nuts as big as their heads, still in their husk, across my lawn all fall.
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Q: Is Mockernut Hickory good firewood?
A: There are several types of hickory, including, shagbark, pignut, bitternut, shellbark, and mockernut. Most agree that all types of hickory are good for firewood.
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Q: What are mockernut hickory used for?
A: A high percentage of the wood is used for products where strength, hardness, and flexibility are needed, such as furniture, flooring, and tool handles. It also makes great firewood. Smoked hams are usually cooked using Mockernut Hickory wood.
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Q: Are hickory trees worth money?
A: High-quality hickory logs are certainly on-par with red oak species—some instances more valuable, some instances less valuable. This of course depends upon who purchases your standing timber and the quality of your trees.
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Q: Why do hickory nuts get worms?
A: Nut weevils attack the developing nuts on the tree during mid summer. The female adult weevil lays her eggs inside the immature nuts. The egg hatches into a creamy white, grub-like larva that feeds inside the nut until fall.
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Q: Can you eat hickory nuts from a hickory tree?
A: Hickory nuts can be eaten immediately, right out of the shell, or stored in a cool, dry place for many months. Pawcohiccora is a Native American porridge made out of the nuts of shagbark hickory trees and is where the word hickory originates.
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Q: Where do mockernut hickory trees grow?
A: The mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa) is a tall, short-limbed tree with a narrow crown and upright branches. It is found quite generally in the eastern part of the United States as far west as Kansas and Texas and in southeastern Iowa.
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Q: What is the lifespan of a hickory tree?
A: The average lifespan is 200 years, but some longer-lived shagbarks can continue to produce seeds until age 300. Shagbark hickories are stable. Several diseases and pests, including canker rot fungus and hickory bark beetles, attack shagbark hickories. The trees have a number of commercial uses.
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Q: Do deer eat hickory nuts?
A: 1 | Hickory Tree This tree is often overlooked in the world of deer hunting. It certainly has its place, though. Deer like them. While hickory nuts aren’t attractive to deer — deer will consume this tree’s browse (buds, stems, etc.).
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Q: How can you tell a mockernut hickory?
A: Mockernut hickory reaches 100 feet high with a narrow to broadly rounded crown and stout, ascending branches. The fruits of mockernut hickory have a thick, dark reddish-brown husk 1½-3½ inches long, which is widest at the middle. All hickory flowers are quite similar. They emerge in spring with the leaves.
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Q: Do hickory trees drop nuts every year?
A: Hickories have a bumper crop about every three years, but each year will see some production.
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Q: Are hickory trees hard to grow?
A: Although they can grow in a wide variety of soil textures, it’s going to be a lot harder for clay soils to drain than sandy soils. Ensuring that the surrounding soil drains well and doesn’t get waterlogged will keep your hickories happy! Hickories do best in full sun, but they can grow in partial shade as well.
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Q: Is a hickory tree a good tree?
A: Hickories are attractive, high-branching trees that make excellent, easy-care shade trees. They grow 60 to 80 feet (18 to 24 m.) tall with a spread of about 40 feet (12 m.). Hickory trees tolerate most soil types, but insist on good drainage.
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Q: Is mockernut hickory a hardwood?
A: The tree is a hardwood and the lineal taxonomy is Magnoliopsida > Juglandales > Juglandaceae > Carya tomentosa. Mockernut hickory is also sometimes called mockernut, white hickory, whiteheart hickory, hognut, and bullnut.
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Q: Is hickory a harder wood than oak?
A: Hardness and Durability As the hardest domestic wood, hickory obviously outshines both red and white oak in terms of durability. Softer woods may dent or scratch beneath careless footfalls, but hickory is more likely to withstand the abuse. This makes it an ideal choice in homes with a lot of activity and traffic.
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Q: How long do mockernut hickory trees live?
A: Mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa), also called mockernut, white hickory, whiteheart hickory, hognut, and bullnut, is the most abundant of the hickories. It is long lived, sometimes reaching the age of 500 years. A high percentage of the wood is used for products where strength, hardness, and flexibility are needed.
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About the author

Samuel is a gardening professional and enthusiast who has spent over 20 years advising homeowners and farm owners on weed identification, prevention and removal. He has an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science from Michigan State University.